During the development of Dig Safely©, OPS and its partners recognized the benefits of identifying and documenting the best practices currently in use to prevent damage to underground facilities. Further, in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation "to undertake a study of damage prevention practices associated with existing onecall notification systems." The purpose of the study was noted in TEA-21 to gather information "to determine which existing onecall notification systems practices appear to be the most effective in protecting the public, excavators, and the environment and in preventing disruptions to public services and damage to underground facilities."
OPS sponsored the "Common Ground Study of One Call Systems and Damage Prevention Best Practices" (Common Ground Study).
The Common Ground Study involved an unprecedented collaborative effort among excavators, locators, design engineers, facility operators, and regulators to identify damage prevention Best Practices. More than 160 representatives from a variety of stakeholder industries and the public identified and evaluated over 100 Best Practices in underground facility damage prevention.
The Common Ground Study report was completed and presented to the Secretary of Transportation in June of 1999, concurrent with the launch of Dig SafelyŠ.
Many organizations and industry groups, states, and OPS now promote the adoption of the Best Practices by their affected workers, facility owners and operators, and legislators. OPS inspectors are working with pipeline operators and others to promote adoption of Common Ground Best Practices to help assure the safety of our energy transportation pipelines.
You can download a copy of the Common Ground Study Report.